Topic: Debt, Matches 15 quotes.

Evils of Debt

Let us never forget that today we are in the biggest battle ever staged. Our opponent is socialism—the Welfare State—and the penalty of failure is enslavement. We must keep keep strong spiritually, morally and economically as individuals, families, communities and as a nation. Only in this course is safety.

Stewardship, not conspicuous consumption, Is the proper relationship of man to material wealth.

There may never be a more favorable time than now for most people to get their financial house in order so far as debt is concerned.

Yes, let us live within our income. Let us pay as we go. Let us “pay thy debt, and live!” Let us heed the counsel of the leadership of the Church. Get out of debt!

Source: Ezra Taft Benson
BYU - 1962

Topics: Debt; Socialism

As we sing, for instance, of a “patriot dream that sees beyond the years,” it reminds us of the special perspective that patriotism possesses. True patriotism takes a long view of this nation’s needs. For instance, what does this reminding lyric tell us about our consistent and collective refusal, regardless of party, to face America’s mounting national debt and our destabilizing budget deficits? The national debt increases one billion dollars every 24 hours—or in other words, during the few minutes I occupy this pulpit, America’s national debt will grow by $694,444 per minute—approximately $21 million dollars! By this persistent lack of national resolve in our time we are robbing our children and grandchildren, however silently, of their economic freedom and future. We cannot seem to see beyond the political moment, let alone “beyond the years.” Indeed, if certain conditions remain uncorrected in a lasting way, the “patriots’ dream” may be replaced by some nightmares!

Source: Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Address given 4 July 1993 at the Freedom Festival at Provo, UT.

Topics: Debt; Freedom, Loss of

The power of God which is work, creative work, as I have defined it, is the foundation stone of salvation, temporally, spiritually, and mentally. The cornerstone on which this great republic rests is that of work and free enterprise. Should the cornerstone deteriorate, the national structure will collapse. The cornerstone must be strengthened and reinforced by greater endeavor, for there is now resting upon this nation a burden of debt the like of which the world has never known before, stupendous beyond the imagination and comprehension of the average mind; and its liquidation, if it is liquidated according to just and honest principles, can only be accomplished through the application of godly power, namely, work on the part of its citizens. This statement is sustained by an excerpt taken from a bulletin published by the Tax Foundation in New York City:

The relation between average earning power and the average debt load on the individual is significant. A large part of the debt is held by banks, insurance companies, and other savings and investment institutions. The future welfare of millions of people depends on the continued solvency of these institutions and that depends on maintaining the value of their assets, including government bonds. But the value of the government bonds depends on the labor and earnings of the people and on their capacity to provide enough taxes to pay the interest and redeem the principal of the debt.

Source: Elder Joseph L. Wirthlin
General Conference, October 1944

Topics: Debt; Economics

Where The Bondage Of Debt Falls.

I know of no other factor which has had such potent influence, in the dissolution of nations which have flourished and passed away, as has the bondage of debt. When nations become debtors the only means of providing revenue with which to meet their obligations is by taxation. This burden falls heaviest upon the masses, the common people, who are the producers of the indispensable necessities of life.

The men who till the soil, who tend the flocks and herds, who dig from the earth the treasures which are hidden there, the men who take the raw materials which are provided by nature and convert them into the things which man requires for his convenience and comfort, who are real producers, they are the people who do the world’s work, fight the world’s battles, and pay the world’s taxes.

I know there are those who will not agree with me in this statement, and I shall not discuss it with them at this time, only to say that I have given the subject as careful study as I am capable of doing, and have concluded that commerce, the professions, and the great industrial systems of our country find means by which the burden of taxation may be shifted until in the last analysis it falls heaviest on the classes to which I have referred.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, October 1921

Topics: Debt; Economics

Avoid Mortgaging The Home.

My remarks are directed more particularly to my brethren who are engaged in agricultural pursuits. Israel has always been an agricultural and pastoral people. We are told that about fifty millions of dollars of our securities are now in the possession of the Federal Reserve Bank. The past we cannot well remedy, but we can, so far as the future is concerned, profit by its experiences. I feel that every mother of a family is entitled to a home, to shelter her and her children, upon which there is no mortgage, and I plead with my brethren to keep mortgages from their farms and homes so far as it is possible.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, October 1921

Topics: Debt

A Day of Extravagance

We are living in a day of extravagance and I have wondered of late where it is going to end. The Church has set the example to every member of it and to the glorious nation that we love, to be out of debt. I remember when our nation, at the close of the World War, found itself in debt to the amount of twenty-six billions of dollars. For ten years as Chairman of the Finance Committee, and a ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, I did everything in my power to reduce that obligation by necessary legislation. It was reduced to sixteen billion dollars and now it is up to forty billion dollars.

I know it is easy to say “billions,” and we have become used to it in America and perhaps in the world, but it may be of interest to some, at least, to give a description of what forty billion dollars really is so that all can understand it I do it in this way: Supposing that the minute the Savior was born some person had decided to deposit in a place selected by him forty dollars and he continued that plan, carrying it out faithfully every minute to the present time, at the end, my brethren and sisters, there would be forty billions of dollars there.

So you see what responsibilities rest upon those who direct the financial affairs of our Government. I want every Latter-day Saint, no matter where he is, to support in every way every recommendation made, not only by this administration but by the administrations to follow to reduce these obligations, for they will have to do everything in their power to accomplish this.

Source: Elder Reed Smoot
General Conference, April 1939

Topics: Debt

May I add again an admonition: Live within your means. Get out of debt. Keep out of debt. Lay by for a rainy day which has always come and will come again. Practice and increase your habits of thrift, industry, economy, frugality. Remember that the parable of the ten virgins, the five that were wise and the five that were foolish, can be just as applicable to matters of the temporal world as those of the spiritual.

Source: President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
General Conference, October 1937

Topics: Debt; Economics

The Burden Of Debt

We are living in a day of extravagance, and I might say not only we as individuals of the nation, but I am fearful that extreme extravagance reaches into every organization, city, county, state, and nation. I know how hard it is to reduce an obligation, even that of the government of the United States. At the close of the World War our government was owing $26,187,000,000. For ten years succeeding that time every effort was made, and I assure you that everything that I could do as chairman of the Finance Committee and the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, was done to raise the money and meet the obligations of our government. It took ten long years to reduce the government indebtedness to $16,000,000,000. Now we are about to enter into the thirty billions. I want to call attention to that fact, not by way of criticism, but to emphasize what I have already said, that in the family, I care not where that family may be, every member of it, should be acquainted with what the head of the family receies, and make a plan to live within that income; and I am going to add, if there is any possible way of saving a little each year do that.

We do not know what is coming; we do not know, my brethren and sisters, altogether what obligations we will be called to meet, but I pray you to keep out of debt if it is possible for you to do so. I may say that the members of the home must be united in order to carry out this desirable condition.

Source: Elder Reed Smoot
General Conference, October 1936

Topics: Debt

The day was, years ago, when to be classed as a good Mormon was to be classed as a man who paid his debts. Let us, wherein we may have failed in the past to live up to that record, make up our minds that we are going to live up to it again in the future.

Source: President Heber J. Grant
General Conference, October 1934

Topics: Debt

•  ⟨⟨ 
•  ⟨ 
•   |  
•  ⟩ 
•  ⟩⟩